Cut Emissions 88% by Downloading Software
By John Platt on April 23rd, 2009I had to buy some new software recently, and when I did I found that I had two options: have the program shipped to me or download it directly to my computer. I chose to have it shipped. Boy, did that turn out to be the wrong decision.
According to a recent survey by Microsoft, in cooperation with Accenture and WSP Environment and Energy, downloading a single program saves the equivalent of a gallon of gas.
The savings comes not just from shipping costs, but also from the manufacture of software disks and packaging.
Microsoft initiated the study so it could visualize...
Save Paper, Save Money by Downloading Coupons to your iPhone or iPod
CouponSherpa App Free Until Earth Day
By John Platt on April 21st, 2009Looking for a way to save money but trying to avoid using all of those annoying paper coupons?
Try CouponSherpa, a new app for the iPhone or iPod Touch that downloads coupons to your device. Once you have the coupons, you can either just show the image on your screen to the cashier or let them scan the accompanying bar code on the screen. Either way, you save money, and you...
HP Offering Free 'Green IT for Dummies' Guide
By John Platt on April 17th, 2009Studies have shown that companies can decrease their IT costs by embracing "green IT" techniques, all while increasing their IT power.
Do you think your company might benefit from green IT? If so, then HP has something for you: a free, limited edition "Green IT for Dummies" pocket book.
Created as an introduction to help organizations go green, the guide offers "simple and straight-forward ideas on how to reduce the environmental impact...
Another Way to Recycle Electronics: Radio Shack
New Trade-In Program Offers Gift Cards for Old Electronics
By John Platt on April 16th, 2009Great news -- yet another retailer is jumping into the "we'll recycle your old electronics for you" bandwagon.
This time it's RadioShack, one of the most ubiquitous electronics chains in the country. Through The Shack's new trade-in program, you can bring products or accessories to their stores or mail them in, and you'll get a gift card with a small dollar value in return.
The program accepts MP3 players, cell phones, cameras,...
Get Ready for Spring with an Electric Lawn Mower
Reduce Emissions, Save Money By Staying Away from Gasoline Mowers
By John Platt on April 14th, 2009Well folks, Spring is in the air, and so is the pollen. The grass is getting greeners, and starting to get tall. Any day now, it will be time to start mowing the lawn -- if you haven't started already!
But did you know that lawn mowers contribute to an amazing five percent of pollution and climate-change emissions in the United States? Yikes! That's a lot of dirty air for the...
PepsiCo Introduces Greener Vending Machines
Climate-Friendly Machines Use Greenpeace's Greenfreeze Technology
By John Platt on April 10th, 2009Soda giant PepsiCo announced recently that it will soon deploy a small number of “green” vending machines that will "significantly cut pollution compared to standard vending machines."
The new machines -- which employ Greenpeace's Greenfreeze technology -- not only require 15% less energy than traditional vending machines, they do not use fluorocarbons or "F-gases," "greenhouse gases hundreds to thousands of times more powerful than carbon dioxide that are one of...
How to Recycle Those Old VHS Tapes
By John Platt on April 9th, 2009My wife and I are finally getting rid of most of our old VHS tapes. It's about time. I mean, we haven't plugged our VCR in for more than a year. Those old tapes were just sitting around gathering dust, and some of them can be re-used, while others can be recycled.
Our first trip was to the local library. Many of the older patrons in this town still use their...

